Short-Stay Rentals an Appealing Option at the Shore - The Two River Times

**Many short-term rentals are available all along the Jersey Shore through vacation sites such as Airbnb or Vrbo.** Photo by Sunayana Prabhu

By Sunayana Prabhu

As the Two River area gears up for peak summer holidays, Red Bank and its neighboring beach towns are expecting an upswing in vacation rental homes. And with the rapidly approaching long weekends of Memorial Day and July 4th, township officials and popular vacation rental companies like Airbnb and Vrbo, have proposed regulations to keep summer vacationers safe.

At the Red Bank Borough Council meeting Wednesday, May 11, Councilmember Michael Ballard expressed concerns over Airbnbs within the town, noting they need stricter regulations during summertime. “I’m having multiple discussions if it is possible to regulate the 15 Airbnbs in Red Bank,” he said. “We want to make sure they are safe and properly regulated. I have been in conversation with (Red Bank Police) Chief Darren McConnell; we’re not ready yet to make any ordinances (on short-term-rentals) but it is on our radar.”

On the riverfront, Red Bank is one of the most popular destinations for short stays, and has been named one of the coolest small towns in the U.S. by many national publications. The borough is expected to get busier with the reopening of its Broadwalk, the pedestrian-only section of Broad Street, and new businesses and restaurants. From wedding walks to Dog Days, 5k runs to prolific arts and entertainment, unique shopping and dining options, the borough attracts varied visitors for short stays.

“We really see an uptick of people coming into town for all kinds of reasons,” said Margaret Mass, executive director, Red Bank Visitors Center. “Whether they’re going to the Count Basie or Two River Theater, they come for the food, the arts, the music. We have all these lovely amenities and we also have two waterfront boutique hotels that make it very attractive for people to get a little staycation or a little break, a little vacation.”

Few municipalities in the Two River area have adopted policies restricting short-term rentals of homes or private single rooms through websites like Airbnb, Vrbo, FlipKey and other online sites. Atlantic Highlands has more restrictions and permits short-term rentals for not less than six months, meant to accommodate “snowbirds” who choose to stay in New Jersey during the warmer months of the year and then head south in the winter.

Beachfront properties in Sea Bright are busy throughout the summer as the borough is a popular destination for families looking for a quick getaway from the city. While Sea Bright has great beach patrols and lifeguards, it has yet to adopt a short-term rental ordinance; these rentals can contribute significantly to the local economy and be a boon for private homeowners.

While they may not heavily regulate short-term rentals, Two River area governments do have strict fire codes, health codes and noise ordinances in place for all rental homes to ensure safety for the community as well as visitors.

And as Memorial Day and the 4th of July inch closer, the online companies that host worldwide short-term rental listings are making efforts to impose order. In a press statement May 4, Airbnb reinstated their anti-party ban to curb unauthorized parties: “We’re re-instituting strict anti-party measures for the fourth of July weekend in 2022. And for this year, we’re expanding this anti-party system to include Memorial Day weekend for the very first time,” wrote Ben Breit, Airbnb director of Trust and Safety Communication, in a release.

The system focuses on blocking certain one-night reservation attempts on the website and re- directing certain two-night reservation attempts for booking guests who do not have a history of positive reviews. The company has also launched a Neighborhood Support Line, which provides a forum for neighbors to flag for Airbnb in real-time if they spot a party in progress at a home that they believe is listed on Airbnb.

“Airbnb’s safety team will work to support the neighbor, work with law enforcement where appropriate and take action against the people responsible for the party,” according to the release. The Neighborhood Support Line has been posted on the Airbnb website and includes a 24/7 hotline in the U.S.

In another initiative to curb complaints from disruptive parties before they even start, Airbnb’s rival company Vrbo has offered its hosts “NoiseAware” technology which uses an app that notifies homeowners or property managers when decibel levels at their rental property go above a certain level. In a recent press statement from Vrbo about enforcing responsible rental practices, Andrew Schulz, NoiseAware CEO said, “NoiseAware solutions enable early detection and intervention of excessive noise before they become bigger disruptions.”

This article originally appeared in the May 26 – June 1, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.